Matti Siitonen, who was nick named Fredi for his resamblance to Fred Flintstone, was a new comer in the 1967 national final but beat the veterans Laila Kinnunen, Marion and the hottest malestar of the moment, Danny.
He started his career in the early 1960's in a folk band called Five Pennies, and later The Stone Faces (later translated into Finnish as Kivikasvot) musical comedy group that would become huge in TV and on stage in the 1970's. His biggest solo album is from 1974 "Avaa sydämesi mulle" that sold over 60.000 copies. He has numerous hits, both original and covers. His latest album is from 2005 and he is currently recording a new one.
He has won Euroviisut twice as a singer (1967 and 1976) and once as a composer (1979) so he can be called the Finnish Johnny Logan! He also wrote Sonja Lumme's "Vielä jaksan odottaa" in 1988 but it only reached the 10th place. Siitonen has been however a very regular name in Euroviisut the past ten years or so thanks to his daughter Hanna-Riikka, who besides gaining a huge success in Taikapeili group, was backing vocalist in 1996, 2004 and 2005, and competed with Nina Tapio in Euroviisut 2006. She is also the singing teacher in the Finnish Idols series.
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